#184] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
impartial in his conduct at elections 
of members of pariiaments,coroners, 
and verderors. Let him be ready 
to convoke, on proper applications, 
county meetings, for the purpose of 
addressing any of the branches of 
the legislature, or the consideration 
of local business: but let him not 
promote such assemblies, for the 
purpose of displaying his own impor- 
tance, of facilitating party views, 
of gratifying a minister, or ef being 
advanced to knighthood. In sum- 
moning grand-juries, let him not 
pass by or postpone particular in- 
dividuals, in consequence of private 
disputes or political differences. As 
so large a share of the original duties 
ofa sheriff is now performed by his 
deputy, the qualifications, and 
above all the integrity ofthat officer, 
ought tobe severely scrutinized by 
his principal. And he who recal- 
lects that the first incident which 
turned the thoughts of Mr. Iloward 
to the subject of prisons, was the 
insight ke obtained into the state of 
them in his official capacity as sheriff, 
will scarcely want additional argu- 
ments to convince himof the bene- 
fits which would result, were 
sheriffs* in general to bestow a little 
more attention than is usually given 
to the condition of gaol and to the 
conduct of those whem they appoint 
to govern them.” 
In the last chapter of this inquiry 
considerations are submitted to per- 
sons who doubt or disbelieve the 
truth of Christianity, or the necese 
sity ofa strict observance of all its 
precepts. It opens in the following 
manner : ‘ 
** When I explained, in the in- 
troductory chapter, the plan of the 
present work, I stated that it was 
my purpose to combine on every 
occasion, as far as the nature of the 
subject might admit, the conclu. 
sions of reason with the dictates of 
religion. I have accordingly en- 
deavoured, throughout the fores 
going chapters, to establish moral 
duties on Christian principles, and 
to enforce the performance of them 
by Christian motives. This conduct 
has evidently proceeded on the sup- 
position that such principles would 
be deemed obligatory, and such 
motives recognized as powerful, by 
the greater part of my readers. I 
cannot, however, be ignorant, and 
I think it would be wrong to dissem- 
ble my conviction, that if this book 
should be fortunate enough to obtain 
the attention of those classes of so~ 
ciety to which it is addressed, it will 
not unfrequently fall into the hands 
of persons who deny or doubt the 
truth of the Christian’revelation ; or 
who alledge that a strict observance 
of its precepts is incompatible with 
* “ For a detailed account of the duties of sheriffs, see Blackstone, 5th edit, 
vol. 1. p. 543, 344, 346 ; and of under-sheriffs, p. 345, Under-sheriffs are pro- . 
hibited by the statute of the 23d of Henry VI. under a very heavy penalty, from 
acting as attomnies during the time they are in office, lest they should be guilty 
of partiality and oppression in discharging the functions of it. In the present 
state of things, attornies of credit would not undertake the office on these terms ; 
knowing that if their private business went for a year into the hands, of their 
competitors, much of it would never return to themselves. And the law has leng 
been avowedly and universally evaded. Sir William Blackstone however shews, 
that he considers the law as not obsolete, by styling the evasion of it ‘shame- 
ful, vol. 1. p. 845. As the habitual evasion of laws gradually impairs the sense 
of right and wrong, it is much to be wished that the statue in question, ‘if it be 
salutary,’ as Sir William Blackstone pronounces it to be in the place already 
cited, were enforced ; or otherwise openly repealed. Under-sheriffs are likewise 
forbidden, and to as little purpose, to contimue in office more than one year to- 
gether. : 
their 
